Wednesday, December 14, 2011

It is Red Lips Week on the Pink Sith Blog again. This week I am focusing on the "high end" red lip products. (Anything over $18) My goal is to highlight sumptuous formulas, bold reds, and statement making lip products that almost any woman can wear. Red lips are just not confined to this week. Check out the Red Lips tag and you will see over 45 entries related to red lips on this blog alone. You are sure to find some inspiration in there somewhere!

This brand does not seem to get enough love on this blog...and I plan to fix that. (Read = I really need to use more Shiseido products and review them for this blog.)

Shiseido brings the consumer over 100 years experience with skincare and cosmetics. Pronounced "She-Say-Doe," Shiseido is one of the oldest cosmetic companies in the world. Founded in 1872 by Yushin Fukuhara as Japan's first western-style pharmacy, the line has since proved itself as a true pioneer in the world of beauty. With industry icon, Dick Page, as Shiseido's Artistic Director, consumers are treated to a world of beautiful and flattering color choices mixed with the newest technology advancements in ingredients that are great for the skin.

This translates to the Perfect Rouge lipstick line. A 20-shade lip collection, Perfect Rouge Lipstick was created by Dick Page for Shiseido. It combines powerful skincare with cutting-edge color technologies to create the ultimate lipstick. Perfect Rouge Lipstick embraces the use of Dual Optimizing Powder, Ultra-Fine Satin Smooth Pearl, and Super Hydro-Wrap Vitalizing DE, (According to the company website.) I have no idea what those terms mean, but I do know that when I wear a Shiseido Perfect Rouge my lips are moisturized all day and the color stays true. Plus, I feel like my lips are in better condition the longer I wear the lipstick!

The color I selected for Red Lips Week is a true Red. Deep. Bold. Dangerous. Classic. It is the red to end all reds. It is the red by which other reds should be judged. I am talking about Shiseido Perfect Rouge lipstick in RD514. A.K.A. Dragon.

Dragons happen to have been quite the connoisseurs of red lipstick...when they still existed. Back in the day Japanese Dragons used to decide the names for all red lipstick produced by the Japanese empire. (As opposed to English Dragons that basically sat about and flambéed Knights for sport Except for Welsh Dragons. They liked to sing more than flambé, would get into terrible fights for no reason, listened to the Utah Saints and did the Running Man all the time.) Names like Scarlett, Rouge, Love, Heat, Spark, etc. (Obviously English translations of the original Japanese words-スカーレット, 赤, 好き, 熱, スパーク), were names for shades of red lipstick in ancient Japan. But the name "Dragon"(竜) was reserved for the best and most pure red lipstick in the empire...dare I say, the WORLD! Yup. All true fact*. However after dragons died out and Japan started excelling in electronics and Sanrio exports the lore of Dragons naming red lipsticks faded away like so many old tapestries that depicted the intricate Dragon led lipstick naming ceremonies. A huge thanks is owed to Dick Page for resurrecting this ancient and revered practice.

Everything about this lipstick screams luxury. From the hefty feeling case that is neither cylindrical nor rectangular, to the color of the deep metallic bluish purple. The formula is delightful. The slip of the lipstick is excellent and the lipstick feels creamy on your lips. It is not heavy or greasy, but almost balm like in it's feel. The longer you wear the lipstick the better your lips feel. The color fades evenly and does stain the lips so that it does not look too uneven once it has worn off.

Shiseido Perfect Rouge Lipstick in Dragon is the purest red I have seen in some time. Slightly blue based, the color is rich and deep. The pigmentation is so rich in this lipstick that is better applied using a lip brush....however one could apply straight from the tube if they wish. The color is opaque upon first application, but can be blotted or sheered over a lip balm for a lighter touch. The finish is satin, however the flash in the picture below makes the finish look more glossy than it is in real life.

Do you NEED this? Yes. there are 20 shades to choose from so you could select a color for every day of the week or just wear the same color every day (I don't understand that, but some people have this strange fetish about wearing one color and actually FINISHING a lipstick before purchasing a new one! Hey! Let's not judge. I'm sure those kind of people are very nice and put their lipstick one one lip at a time like the rest of us. I will not tolerate makeup bigotry on this blog!). The cumulative effects of having such a wonderful formula on your lips is sure to show after a short time. Shiseido Perfect Rouge lipstick retails for $25 USD and can be found online at Sheseido.com, Sephora.com and at your local Shiseido counter in Nordstrom, Bloomingdales and other retailers.

*No. Not really. Read a history book once in a while.

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Thanks for this post! I used to have a goal to wear red lipstick every single day. I get lazy... and sometimes look like death and the red just accetuates it... I have a red that I love and it isn't made anymore. I hoarded a few tubes of it through the years and my kids just destroyed my last tube a few days ago. This post could not be more timely! Can't wait to search for some of these!!!